Shirt packaging device



April 24, 1951 T. A. cRossLEY SHIRT PACKAGING DEVICE Filed March 8, 1950 INVENTOR T. A. CROSSLEY ATTORNEY-3 Patented Apr. 24, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE smn'r PACKAGING DEVICE Tom A. Crossley, La Grange, Ga.

Application March 8, 1950, Serial No. 148,396

'5 Claims.

' This invention relates to packaging devices of the type employed by laundry establishments and has more particular reference to a packaging device for retaining collar-attached shirts in their freshly pressed condition during the normal handling and delivery to the customer. One object of the inventionis to provide an improved packaging device which will retain the body of the shirt and the collar in correctly freshpressed condition until used by the wearer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a packaging device, as characterized above, including a. shirt reinforcing panel or backing panel, a collar protective panel connectedto be spaced vertically above the backing panel, and a collar brace form connected to and cooperating with the collar protective panel to protect the collar and safeguard it from crushing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a packaging device, as characterized above, wherein the backing panel, the collar protective panel, and the collar brace form are cut from a single piece of sheet material. 7 3

Another object of the invention is to provide a packaging device, as characterized above, including an elongated narrow band connected to or formed integral with the collar brace form and adapted to be wrapped around the folded shirt with its free end secured by a board lock,

[or adhesively,'to the backing panel at the point of connection of the back panel to the collar protective pane1. V

Another object of the invention is to provide a packaging device, as characterized above, which maybe automatically opened by breaking the connection between theband and the backing panel and letting the shirt tumble until the shirt is free of the packaging device. A further object of the invention is to provide a packaging device which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, readily and easily folded and used in preparing'the shirt for packaging, neat and attractive in appearance, and efiicient in carrying out the purpose for which it is designed. Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following specification, when considered with the accompanying drawing,

wherein: p Fig. 1 is a plan view of a packaging device embodying the invention;

' Fig. 2 is a plan view showing a collar-attached shirt packaged in the packaging device shown in i -.1;

Figt3 is a verticalsectional View through the 2 packaging device, on the line 33 of'Fig. 2; an

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the manner in which the collar brace form is inserted in the shirt collar.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown in Fig. 1, a packaging device It! embodying the invention and comprising a reinforcing or backing panel I l, a connecting panel l2, a collar protective panel I3, a connecting panel M, a collar brace form l5, and an elongated band Hi.

The packing device may be made of any suitable material having the desired amount of stiffness and flexibility for the purpose, as for example, cardboard, and preferably is stamped or otherwise formed out of a single sheet of material.

The'backing panel H is generally rectangular and is connected to the collar protective panel l3 by the rectangular connecting panel l2 which is connected to the backing panel I I along a, fold line H and to the collar protective panel along a fold line I8.

The collar protective panel 13 i a generally annular shaped member and is connected to the collar brace form l-5 by a rectangular connecting tab or panel M which is connected to the collar protecting panel along a fold line I9 and to the collar brace form along a fold line 20.

The collar brace form [5 is generally rectangular in outline and has curved generally parallel top and bottom edges 2|, 22. The collar brace form is divided into upper and lower bracing panels 23, 24, respectively, by means of curved slots 25, 26 extending inwardly from the vertical side edges of the collar brace form. The slots 25, 26 are generally parallel with the curved upper and lower edges of the collar brace form.

The connecting tab or panel I4 is formed in the upper panel 23 Of the collar brace form by spaced vertical slots 21 and'28, which extend inwardly fromthe upper edge 2|, to the bottom fold line 20 of the tab.

A pair of wings or tabs 29, 30 are formed by means of converging slots 3| and 32 which extend downwardly and inwardly from the ends of the slots '25 and 26, respectively, and slots 33 and 34 which extend upwardly and inwardly from the ends of the slots 25 and 26, respectively. It should be noted that the slots 33 and 34 are curved to provide rounded ends 35 for the respective wings or tabs 29, 30. The material between the,

inner ends of the slots 33 and 34 forms a panel connecting the upper and. lower panels 23, 24 of the collar brace form and provides a straight fold line 36 about which the upper panel 23 is folded with respect to the lower panel 24. It

edges of the collar.

3 should be noted that the fold line 36 would be generally in line with the curved slots and 26 if continued to a point of juncture. The wings or tabs 29, 30 are adapted to be folded outwardly about a fold line 31 extending between the inner adjacent ends of the slots 3|, 32.

The elongated, narrow band It extends downwardly from the mid-portion of the bottom edge of the lower panel 24 of the collar brace form.

In Fig. 2 there is shown a shirt S, as completely and freshly ironed, and packaged in the packaging device shown in Fig. 1, ready for As there shown, the shirt S is of the well known collar-attached type delivery to the customer.

folded over it and with its upper end positioned below the upper end of the collar. The connecting panel I2 extends substantially vertically from the backing panel in engagement with the back of the collar. The collar protective panel 13 extends over the collar in general parallel relation with the backing panel M. It should be noted that the collar protective panel is of a sufficient size to completely cover the upper The upper panel 23 ofthe collar bracingform is folded down into the collar opening against the'in-ner side walls of the. inner fold 40 of the collar with the upper edge of the panel, after it has been folded down into the collar opening, barely clearing the top of the collar. The lower panel 24 of the collar bracin form is positioned between the inner fold and the outer fold 4| of the collar with the wings or tabs 29, 38 extending laterally .over the upper :portion of the ends 42 of the collar to hold them in place. The elongated band extends downwardly over the buttons on the shirt, around the bottom ofthe folded shirt, and has its free end secured to the connecting panel :2. it should be noted that the collar brace form braces the collar and prevents it from being crushed in handling or when one shirt is stacked on another. In this connection, it should be noted that the collarprotective panel rests on the upper edge of the upper panel 23 of the collar braceform, after it has been inserted in the collar opening, and locks the collar .brace form in place. The connecting panel l2 also helps to prevent crushing of the collar and helps to support the collar protective panel L3.

The packaging device it may be applied to package the shirt in any desired manner. Preferably, however, and particularly when employing a folding machine of the usual type, the packaging device is applied as follows:

With the freshly ironed, unfolded shirt lying collar up on the table, the lower panel, 25 of the collar brace form is inserted between the inner fofld -6.8 and the outer fold ll .of thecollar, withfthe Wings ortabs 2'3, 3% folding slightly upwardly about the fold line 52 and extending across the upper port-ion of the collar ends :32 (see Fig. 4). Then, the upper panel 23. of the collar brace form is folded about the fold line down into the ccllaropeningagainst the inner wall of the inner fold it of the collar, with the upper edge of the upper panel, after it has .been folded :down into-the collar opening, barely clearing the top of the collar. This requires that the connecting tab 14 be folded upwardly about its lower fold line 20, lifting the collar protective panel l3 vertically relative to the front of the shirt. Next, the collar protective panel i3 is folded about the upper fold line of the connecting tab [4 down over the top of the collar in substantially parallel relation with the front of the shirt. The collar protective panel will rest on the upper panel 23 of the collar brace form and lock the collar brace form in place. The elongated band I6 is left extending along the front of the shirt over the row of buttons thereon. Then, the connecting panel 12 is folded downwardly along the fold line I8 and the backing panel is folded along the fold line H to position it beneath the shirt in substantially parallel relation to the collar protective panel and the shirt is placed, collar down, on the platen of the folding machine, with the collar received in the usual collar receiving well thereof. In this connection, it should be pointed out that, as the collar protective panel extends only slightly over the upper edge of the collar, it will easily go down into the well of any .of the usual types of folding machines. Then, the folding form of the machine is lowered onto the shirt and the backing panel and the sides of the shirt body, the sleeves, and the tail portion, are folded upwardly-and inwardly onto the form in the usual manner. Next, the folding form is raised and the elongated strip iii is folded around the bottom end .of the folded shirt and up the back and .adhesively secured to the .connecting panel 12. The shirt is then removed from the folding machine and is packaged as shown in Fig. 2.

A shirt packaged with the packaging device of the invention may be automatically opened by a user by holding the shirt with the collar down and toward the holder over a bed or table and then breaking the connection between the band and the backing panel and letting the shirt tumble until it is free of the packaging device. The shirt will fall on the bed or table correctly placed before the holder, ready to be unbuttoned and put on.

While, in the particular embodiment ofv the invention illustrated, the packaging device has been shown as being cut or stamped from a singlesheet of material, obviously, the several panels may be made of separate pieces suitably secured together, for example, the backing panel may be made separately and of heavier material than the remainder .of the device. Obviously, too, the elongatedband 5.6 may bewrapped around the body of the shirt in various ways and secured to the connecting panel 12, or it may be omitted, if desired.

From the foregoing, it readily will be seen that there has been provided an improved packaging device which will retain the body of the shirt and the collar in correctly fresh-pressed condition until used by the wearer, which protects the collar from being crushed or soiled, and is easily applied to a shirt and quickly removed therefrom, and which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Obviously, the present invention is not restricted to the particular embodiment thereof herein shown and described; but is capable of various modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

:1. A -shirt packaging device for use in packing el, around which the shirt is folded; a collar protective panel hingedly connected to said backing panel and adapted to overlie the shirt collar to the inner fold of the collar and under said collar protective panel, and an elongated lower collar brace panel hingedly connected intermediate its ends to said upper collar brace panel and adapted H to have its ends inserted between the inner and outer folds of the shirt collar.

2. A shirt packaging device, as set forth in claim 1, including an elongated band connected at one end to said lower collar brace panel, said band being adapted to be wrapped around the folded shirt and have its free end secured to said backing panel.

3. A shirt packaging device, as set forth in claim 1, including a pair of opposed wing members extending upwardly and outwardly from the upper edge of said lower collar brace panel, said wing members being adapted to extend laterally over the free ends of the, collar when said lower 7 collarbrace panel is inserted between the folds of the collar.

4. A blank adapted to be folded into a packaging device for laundered collar-attached shirts,

with the mid-portion of the adjacent longitudinal edges of the panels hingedly connected together;

the lower of said panels beingad'apted to have its free ends inserted in opposite directions between the folds of the shirt collar, the upper of said panels being adapted to be folded down inside the collar opening against the inner fold of the collar; a collar protective panel extending upward from and hingedly connected to the upper collar brace panel, said collar protective panel being adapted to be positioned over the collar to protect it and to lock the upper collar brace panel in its position inside the collar; and a backing panel extending upwardly from and hingedly connected to said collar protective panel and adapted to be positioned beneath the bosom of the shirt in substantial parallel relation to said collar protective panel.

5. A blank adapted to be folded into a packaging device, as set forth in claim 4, including an elongated band connected at one end to said lower collar brace panel, said band being adapted to be wrapped around the shirt and have its free end secured to said backing panel. I

TOM A. CROSSLEY.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Harpman Feb. 14, 1939 Number 

